Oyo Govt Finally Releases Full List of 9 People Killed During Oriire Abduction, Rescue Operation
- The Oyo state government published the names of nine people killed during the Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota abduction and rescue operation in Oriire Local Government Area
- Four civilians and five military and security personnel lost their lives during the mass school kidnapping and rescue efforts
- The deaths came even as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu confirmed that over 40 abducted students and teachers were eventually rescued 56 days after gunmen seized them from three Oyo schools
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering security matters and counter-insurgency in Nigeria and Africa.
Ibadan, Oyo state - The Oyo state government has formally honoured nine people, four civilians and five military and security personnel, who were killed during the abduction and subsequent rescue operation involving students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area (LGA).
In a tribute posted on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, via its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the state government named each of the fallen individuals, describing them as those who "lost their lives during the Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota, Oriire Local Government Area abduction incident."
Source: Twitter
The civilians listed by the government are Michael Oyedokun, John Olaleye, Joel Adesiyan, and Oluwasegun Akanni. The military and security personnel honoured are Lieutenant Felix Ademe Isaac, Adigun Saibu, Isa Saliu, Rafiu Ayuba, and an unnamed soldier.
Background on infamous Oriire abduction
The incident dates to May 15, 2026, when gunmen abducted 46 students and staff from two primary schools and one secondary school in Oyo state. The victims included children as young as two years old, with the oldest being 16. One teacher was killed almost immediately after the abduction took place.
The federal government attributed the attack to insurgents, marking a jarring expansion of mass school kidnappings into Nigeria's south-west, a region that had largely been spared from the kind of attacks that devastated communities in the North-East over the previous decade.
56 days after the kidnapping, President Bola Tinubu announced that all abducted students and teachers had been rescued. In a statement, the president said he was "profoundly happy" with the outcome and disclosed that eight of the attackers had been arrested while an unspecified number were killed during the operation. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga confirmed via X that every one of the hostages had been accounted for.
Makinde honours fallen Oriire heroes
Legit.ng reports that the Oyo government's memorial post serves as the state's official acknowledgement of the human cost borne by those who risked and lost their lives before and during that rescue.
The Punch noted that the Governor Seyi Makinde-led Oyo government also commiserated with the families of the deceased as part of the tribute.
Source: Facebook
See the Oyo state government's tribute post on X below:
The list of the fatalities associated with the Oriire kidnapping and rescue is highlighted below:
- Michael Oyedokun
- Deacon John Olaleye
- Joel Adesiyan
- Oluwasegun Akanni
- Lieutenant Felix Ademe Isaac
- Adigun Saibu
- Isa Saliu
- Rafiu Ayuba
- An unnamed soldier
Read more on Oriire abduction
- Oyo APC guber candidate gifts brand-new car to principal rescued after 56-day kidnap ordeal
- Alaafin of Oyo visits rescued Oriire children and teachers, supports them financially, people react
Abductor reveals reason for kidnapping Oyo children
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Umaru Usman, one of the suspects arrested by operatives of the Oyo State Police Command over the abduction of two children in Ebinpejo village via Lanlate, Ibarapa East LGA, claimed that black magic influenced his alleged involvement in the crime.
According to the police, the suspects fled after exchanging gunfire with security operatives, with at least one sustaining gunshot wounds. Usman, 25, was subsequently arrested.
Source: Legit.ng
